Quick answer: Can a hoverboard battery be replaced? Yes, but not as a home job on our boards. The pack is wired into the board, it has to match the board's electronics and charger, and a damaged lithium-ion cell can catch fire. Talk to us first, and never post a battery yourself.
What is inside your board
| Board | Battery | Energy |
|---|---|---|
| 6.5-inch board | 24 V, 4.0 Ah lithium-ion | about 96 Wh |
| 8.5-inch all-terrain board | 36 V, 4.0 Ah lithium-ion | about 144 Wh |
Watt-hours (Wh) are volts multiplied by amp-hours, so the energy figures are our own calculation; they matter for transport. Couriers and airlines handle lithium-ion batteries as dangerous goods, and a pack of more than 100 Wh, like the one in the 36 V board, falls under stricter carriage rules than the pack in the 24 V board. For flights, see hoverboards on planes; for ferries, ask the operator.
How a hoverboard battery wears
Every lithium-ion battery loses capacity as it is used and as it ages; it does not fail on a set date. Heat, cold, long spells sitting empty and hard knocks speed the process up. Signs that a pack is near the end of its useful life:
- a full charge now covers clearly less ground than when the board was new, even on a mild day;
- the board shuts off mid-ride although the display says there is charge left;
- charging stops before full, or takes much longer than it used to;
- the battery area warms up noticeably during an ordinary ride.
Rule out the simpler causes first: cold weather, a heavier rider or soft ground all cut range, and a faulty charger or a dirty port can look like a tired battery. Our guide to charging faults covers those checks.
A quick battery health check
You can monitor the pack without opening anything. Every month or so, and before winter storage:
- Ride a route you know well and note how far the charge gets you. A slow decline over months is normal ageing; a sudden fall is not.
- Look along the casing seams and around the footpads for gaps that were not there before. A swelling battery can push panels apart.
- After charging, the board should feel no more than slightly warm, with no unusual smell.
- Listen while it charges. Hissing, crackling or popping means you switch off at the wall straight away.
Write the results down; if you ever report a fault, the record shows what has changed.
Can hoverboard batteries be replaced?
Yes, a worn pack can be swapped for a new one, but on our boards that is not a home job. Videos that show a hoverboard battery replacement in ten minutes leave out most of the risk:
- The pack is wired in, not clipped in. To reach it you open the casing and disconnect cables that carry the full battery voltage. A slipped screwdriver or a pinched wire can short the pack.
- Damaged cells can catch fire. Lithium-ion cells that are punctured, crushed or bent can overheat and ignite without warning.
- A pack that fits is not necessarily a pack that matches. The next section lists what has to match before a pack belongs in a board.
- Unknown packs carry unknown risks. Fire services warn against counterfeit battery parts and unknown online sellers.
We do not sell loose or replacement batteries. If your board needs a new pack, talk to us before anything is opened.
What does a hoverboard battery replacement cost?
There is no single price, and we will not guess one here. These are the things that decide it:
| What sets the cost | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| The pack itself | Voltage and capacity have to match the original: 24 V, 4.0 Ah in the 6.5-inch board and 36 V, 4.0 Ah in the 8.5-inch board |
| Connector and battery management system (BMS) | Both have to suit the board's controller and charger; with the wrong plug or BMS a pack will not work, whatever its label says |
| Transport | A lithium-ion pack travels as dangerous goods, there and back if the board has to be sent, and the 8.5-inch pack is above 100 Wh |
| Fitting and checks | Opening the casing, fitting the pack and checking the board afterwards takes skilled time |
| The rest of the board | On an older, worn board, a new board can be the better use of the money |
Tell us the order number and what the battery does; we will set out the options.
Battery voltage and charger voltage
Put a battery label next to a charger label and the numbers rarely match. A battery carries its nominal voltage, the average it delivers across a charge: 24 V in the 6.5-inch board, 36 V in the 8.5-inch board. A charger carries its output, and to fill a lithium-ion pack it has to finish a little above that nominal figure, so its label shows a higher number. That is normal, and it is why packs and chargers sold online appear under different voltages for what looks like the same board. The match is what counts: charge each board with the charger from its own box, and no other.
What to do if your battery needs replacing
- The moment you suspect the battery, stop charging and riding the board.
- Note your order number and board size, and photograph the casing from above, below and both sides.
- Contact us and describe what you noticed and when it started.
- Wait for our reply. We tell you what can be done for your board and whether your statutory rights cover the fault.
- Never post a board or a loose battery yourself, and never a damaged one at all; if it has to travel, we tell you how. Our guide on posting a hoverboard explains why.
Habits that help a battery last
- Charge with the board's own charger, stay within earshot, and switch off at the wall when it has finished.
- After a hard session on grass or sand, let the battery cool before you charge it.
- Do not store the board flat: give it some charge before a long break and check on it now and then.
- Avoid jumps, drops and kerb strikes. The pack sits inside the casing, and a hard landing can damage cells without leaving a mark on the outside.
- Store it indoors and dry, away from heaters and strong sunlight, and somewhere it would not block your way out in a fire.
Buying a second-hand board
On a used board, the battery is the part you know least about. Before you pay, ask for the original charger and manual, look for swelling and a cracked casing, and check the make and model against the government's product recall list. If the seller cannot say which charger belongs to it, or the original battery has been swapped for an unknown one, assume the figures in the advert no longer apply.
Recycling an old board or battery
A lithium-ion battery never belongs in the household bin or the recycling box. Bin lorries and sorting plants crush what they collect, and a crushed cell can start a fire. The crossed-out wheelie-bin mark on electrical products and batteries means they belong in a separate collection, not in general waste.
- Ask your local council which tip near you takes batteries and electrical items.
- Tell the staff about any swelling or damage.
- If you bought the board from us, our page on recycling an old battery explains how take-back works.
Back in use, the riding rules stay the same: private land, with permission from whoever owns it, never pavements, parks or roads. For any other symptom, start from the rider help centre.
Stop and contact us
Stop using the board, keep it off the charger and message us if the battery:
- swells, or the casing bulges, lifts or splits around it;
- leaks, hisses, crackles or pops;
- gives off a sweet, chemical or burning smell;
- feels hot while the board is switched off, or very hot after a normal ride.
Should it smoke or catch fire, get out, stay out and call 999. Never tackle a battery fire yourself.
Questions riders ask
How many years will a hoverboard battery keep going?
There is no fixed figure: it depends on how often it is charged, how it is stored, the temperatures it sees and the knocks it takes. Watch for the signs in this guide instead.
Can I fit a bigger battery to get more range?
No. The battery is matched to the board's motors, controller and charger. A larger or different pack can overload them, and modifying a battery is one of the things fire services warn against most strongly.
Can I post a hoverboard battery?
No, not yourself. A lithium-ion battery is dangerous goods in transport, and a damaged one should not travel at all. Ask us first.
How do I tell whether my board is 24 V or 36 V?
Look at the wheels. Our 6.5-inch board, with the smaller wheels, has the 24 V battery (about 96 Wh). The 8.5-inch board with off-road tyres has the 36 V battery (about 144 Wh). If you are unsure, give us your order number.
A battery has swollen. What now?
Stop using and charging it straight away. Provided you can reach it without putting yourself at risk, move the board outdoors, away from people, pets and anything that burns. Then contact us or your local council about disposal, and keep it out of bins and parcels. If it smokes or catches fire, get out and call 999.